1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller for automatically disengaging a tongue plate from a buckle device of a seatbelt system for a vehicle designed to protect an occupant in an emergency situation of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical seatbelt system is arranged such that an occupant, after seating himself in a seat, engages a tongue plate attached to one end of an occupant restraining webbing with a buckle device, whereby the occupant is brought into a webbing fastened condition.
Examples of conventional apparatus for automatically disengaging the tongue plate from the buckle device include one in which when the occupant opens the door, the tongue plate engaged with the buckle device is automatically disengaged (see the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 140276/1983).
This type of conventional apparatus, however, suffers from the disadvantage that even in an emergency situation, such as collision or overturn, of the vehicle, it is necessary for the occupant to open the door in order to automatically disengage the tongue plate from the buckle device.